Improvement



PRESTON lmprvement .in Lightning. Rods.

'Patented oci. 31, 1871.

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fuk Nj/ A @www abi" UNITED Sra'rns OTHNlEL PRESTON, OF SOUTH DANSVTLLE, NEWY YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN LlGHTNlNG-CONDUCTORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 120,457 dated October 3l, 1871.

To all whom @t may concern:

Betknown that I, O'rHNinL lnnsroN, ot'South Dansville, in the county ot' Steuben and State ot New York, have invented a new and uset'ul improvement in Lightning-Uonductors5 and l do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereol", which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part ot' this specitieatitm.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in lightning-conductors, whereby they are made more eli'ective than they have hitherto been, and it consists in makin g the conductor tubular composed ot' a series ot' wires twisted together, and either with or without an inclosed metallic tube, thc construction ot' the. conductor being as hereinafter more fully described.

In the accompanying' drawing, Figure l repre sents a section ot a conductor constructed oi wires twisted together forming a tube. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section ot' Fig. l on the line a: showing the wires surrouiuling a .metallic tube. Fig. 3 is a cross-section ot Fig. l taken on the line y y. Fig. i is a crosssection ot' Fig. 2 on the line z Similar letters ot' rct'crence indicate correspon ding parts. y

A represents the conductor, B, the wires 5 U, the interior metallic tube. The wires B are twisted together either around a solid core which is removed, or a metallic tube, (j, which latter is allowed to remain; in either case a tubular conductor is formed which greatly increases t-he extent ot' surface of the conductor.

l am aware that it is contended that the conductivity ot a lightning-rod is according to the area ot' its crosssection. My own experience, which has not been very limited in the business ot' mamitacturing and putting up lightning-conductors, leads me to doubt the entire correctness ot' that theory. ln practice I have found that surtace has much to do with the conductivity ot' lightning-rods. Conductors composed ot' broad straps ot' metal having great superticial area and but slight cross-sectional area have been employed with good results. l am a ware that, with a view ot' increasing the superticial area, conductors have been rmade of woven wire, and also ot' braided or plaited wire in the tubular torni.

l disclaim all conductors constructed by either weaving, braiding, or plaiting the wire.

My lightnin g-c' nductor is made ot' wires twist ed together around a core or tube, and is in outward form the same as a wire rope and continuous trom end to end, and may be ot' any required length. ln twisting the wires around asolid core, the core is withdrawn, which leaves the conductor tubular. It twisted around a metallic tube the tube is allowed to remain, which also leaves the conductor tubular. the conductor is a tube composed et' wires twisted together and having the strength and tlext bility ot' a wire rope when made without the interior tube, but which is, ot' course, more stiit' and rigid when made with the tube,

Having thus described my invention, l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The tubular lightni11g-conductor A, constructed ot' wires .B twisted together, substan tial] y as shown and described.

2. A lightningco1uluctor composed oi" wires B twisted together in the tubular form inclosing a metallic tube, U, substantially as shown and described.

3. A tubular lightiling-conductor, constructed of wires twisted together either with or without an inclosed metallic tube.

The above specification of 1ny invention signed by me this 2d day ot'August, 1871.

OTHNIEL PRESTON.

ln either case 

